Are you part of the NICU club? Do you have a child who is still struggling with the effects of being born too soon from preeclampsia? Share your concerns and stories here among parents who have been there.

Welcome to our forum. I'm sorry that you are having a difficult time. I assume that Bryce is still in the NICU. How often can you see him?

I have heard that looking at a picture of the baby sometimes helps. Do you have a lactation consultant to help you? Or maybe the hospital's social worker could find you a local support group? Maybe some of our other members can give you some more hints.

http://www.preeclampsia.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1781&SearchTerms=Nursing,pumping (check this one out... you are not alone in struggling to keep motivated)

So how are you doing? Do you have to travel a big distance back and forth to see him? I can't imagine how hard it is for you to cope right now with your own recovery and to keep up with his needs. I'm sure that some of the true NICU experts will be along any minute to chat and to help out.

I am so sorry for the hard time you're having right now. I know how it is to be at home pumping when all you want to do is be holding your little guy, at home, in his snuggly jammies, all cuddled up together...

The only thing that kept me pumping (or even started me pumping for that matter) was that the NICU doctors and nurses told me that breastmilk was like "liquid gold" in the NICU.

In our NICU, you had the option/ability to pump right at the side of your baby's incubator. I didn't get the chance to try that but, I know many women said that it helped them to be seeing their baby, touching their baby while pumping. Also, one of the nurses suggested that we leave little blankies in Zach's incubator that I could then take out and bring home to hold and smell while pumping.

I too had a miserable time pumping while Caitlyn was in the NICU. My body basically shut down from the stress I put myself under. I had a lot of advice given to me at the time but all I could think about was Caitlyn and how much I hated being away from her. Our NICU here let you pump behind a screen when the baby was in a certain area if you needed to. I gave what I could and since Caitlyn has been out of the NICU (she is 7 months actual now) she has not had any real colds or problems. So, hopefully even if you only give a little, that little bit can go a long way.

Shannon Mommy to Caitlyn Elizabeth 30 weeks, 3 days born (8/26/2003) early due to PE, IUGR, HELLP syndrome, premature rupture of membranes

Hi .... The NICU is a very stressful time which does not help you with pumping. I found I pumped more while at the NICU (they had pumping rooms) I would put on a soft CD (carried my own walkman) and even once fell fast asleep (until Katlyne's nurse started to worry about me LOL) Once a week we would have a mother's milk lunch which help mom learn the ways of dealing with pumping and living in the NICU. Is there any way that you can pump by the bedside?... Or take a picture of your baby with you when you pump, also warm wash clothes help prior to pumping. drink lots of water (even rootbeer) but you do need your sleep!... Sleep the night a way and pump when you wake up.... I pumped for 3 months until I couldn't keep up with Katlyne's demands any longer and finally said I had enough with pumping. Meanwhile I was jealous of all the other mothers who would just be a milking cow LOL!!!... Sending you Huge Hugs...

Hi Brycesmom, sending you wishes of comfort and strength. My DD was only in the NICU for 2 weeks, so my situation was so very different than yours.

I would cry almost every time I went to pump thinking that my little one was there and I was not...after a few days of that, I got a picture of her, blew it up to an 8x10, and put it on the outside of the box of the pump I had, so I could look at a "close up" of her sweet little face.

And I also called her bedside a few times each day; the nurses were always very accomodating and gave me updates as I requested. Often I'd find myself calling in the middle of the night when no one else was up except for me, pumping away.

Also sending wishes of hope your way.

~Sandy/DD born via emergency C at 35 wks/1 day June '03 due to Severe PE/class III HELLP/chronic HBP/asthma

Hi Brycesmom, I hope all the encouraging words have helped and you are feeling better today. I pumped for the 14 weeks that Ian was in the NICU and then went on to breastfeed until he was 16 months. It was not easy at first, but I would remind myself that he would have a tough time fighting infection and growing without my help. It also made me feel like I was doing something for him. I kind of felt like I had let him down by not carrying him long enough, so it made me feel better to know that even though he was in someone else's care, I was doing all I could. Hang in there. I am proud of you for asking for help. We are all here for you & Bryce.

HANG IN THERE!
I know how you feel. My daughter was a 3.6 pounder and was never a great latcher/suckler.
But I did feel like I was helping her by bottle fedding my breastmilk.
They also referred to it was "liquid gold" in my NICU,as Julie mentioned.
I pumped for 10 weeks, and then gave up.
I regret it seriously. I wish I had kept going and tried to boost my milk supply after she got home.(it dwindled after a while)Now I know some tricks.

I did notice, that when I pumped at the hospital, (They had a nursing pumping room,) I produced 2ce as much as at home.
I used to think that is was b/c thier machine was stronger, which it was...but after reading what Sharel wrote, I am starting to think it was more about being in her precence.
With this baby, if she isn't into it, I will still pump as long as possible.

If you really feel that stopping is what is right for you, don't let me sway your decision, but from what I gather , and that you even wrote this in the first place, you need some encouragement!

Please keep us posted, on this and the baby's stay in nicu. One day this will all be a bittersweet memory. And you'll have him all to yourself, with nothing to worry about but loving, hugging and kissing.